Summary

Field Instruction is a comprehensive, student-friendly guide for those beginning their first social work field experience. The text addresses the most common questions, concerns, and problems students encounter in their field practicums and provides them with essential information for completing the field experience successfully. It is structured so that "early" questions about preparing for the first interview are presented ahead of more complicated issues such as resolving ethical dilemmas. However, the convenient table of contents and index make it easy for students and instructors to access information outside this chronological system whenever necessary. Questions for class discussion and experimental assignments for students are provided to enhance the learning experience for both students and instructors.

Table of Contents

Preface

xi

Field Instruction and the Social Work Curriculum

1

(14)

Overview

1

(1)

Why Do Social Work Students Have Field Instruction?

1

(2)

What Is the Role of the Faculty Field Liaison?

3

(1)

What Is the History of Field Instruction in Social Work?

4

(2)

What Are the Current Standards for Field Instruction?

6

(1)

Are There Different Types of Field Placement?

7

(1)

How Are Students Prepared for Field Instruction?

8

(1)

How Are Students in Field Placement Supervised?

8

(1)

How Are Classroom Learning and Field Instruction Integrated?

9

(1)

What Is the Purpose of Field Seminars?

10

(1)

Do Students with Undergraduate Field Instruction Get Credit When They Work Toward a Master's Degree in Social Work?

11

(1)

Is It Possible for a Student to Have a Field Placement Where He or She Is Also Employed?

12

(1)

Ideas for Enriching the Practicum Experience

13

(1)

References

13

(1)

Additional Readings

14

(1)

The Partnership with Social Service Agencies

15

(10)

Overview

15

(1)

Why Do Agencies Accept Student Interns?

15

(1)

How Are Field Agencies Chosen?

16

(1)

How Are Field Instructors Selected?

17

(1)

How Are Agencies and Students Matched?

17

(2)

What Specifically Are Social Service Agencies Looking for in Student Interns?

19

(2)

A Strong Desire to Help Others

19

(1)

Interest and Ability to Function in a Particular Setting

20

(1)

Maturity

20

(1)

Honesty

20

(1)

How Will the Agency Evaluate My Performance as a Student Intern?

21

(2)

What Do I Do if the Field Instructor Becomes Incapacitated?

23

(1)

Ideas for Enriching the Practicum Experience

24

(1)

References

24

(1)

Additional Readings

24

(1)

Getting Started

25

(21)

Overview

25

(1)

How Do I Find an Agency that Meets My Needs?

25

(4)

Transportation

26

(1)

Scheduling

26

(1)

Supervision

27

(1)

Populations, Problem Areas, and Networking

28

(1)

Agency Value Base

29

(1)

How Do I Prepare for the Practicum Interview?

29

(2)

What Can I Do to Deemphasize Little or No Work Experience?

31

(1)

Is It Wise to Admit My Weaknesses?

32

(2)

How Should I Respond to Questions About My Educational Preparation?

34

(3)

How Should I Dress for the Practicum Agency?

35

(1)

How Do I Make a Good Impression?

36

(1)

Getting Oriented-What Can I Expect on the First Day?

37

(2)

How Do I Develop a Learning Contract?

39

(6)

Ideas for Enriching the Practicum Experience

45

(1)

References

45

(1)

Additional Reading

45

(1)

The Student Intern: Learning New Roles

46

(15)

Overview

46

(1)

How Much Will I Be Given to Do?

46

(2)

How Much Will I Be Supervised, and by Whom?

48

(1)

How Do I Make Supervision Work for Me?

49

(2)

How Will My Faculty Field Liaison Evaluate Me?

51

(3)

How Do I Juggle All My Roles Simultaneously?

54

(2)

How Do I Know if I'm Stressed Out?

56

(1)

How Can I Effectively Manage the Stress in My Life?

57

(1)

The Student Intern's ``Bill of Rights''

57

(1)

Myths I Can Do Without

58

(1)

Ideas for Enriching the Practicum Experience

59

(1)

References

59

(1)

Additional Readings

60

(1)

Professional Boundaries

61

(18)

Overview

61

(1)

What Are the Differences Among Volunteer, Student, and Employee Roles?

61

(3)

Do Students Have the Same Privileges as Staff Members?

64

(1)

What Do I Need to Know About Interdisciplinary Team Meetings?

65

(1)

Can a Friend Supervise Me?

66

(1)

Should I Contract with Clients?

66

(1)

What Do I Need to Know About Agency Recording?

67

(2)

How Do I Refer a Client to Another Agency or Professional?

69

(2)

What Is Managed Care?

71

(1)

How Does Managed Care Affect Social Work Practice?

72

(1)

What Specialized Knowledge and Skills Are Important in a Managed Care Environment?

73

(2)

Should I Share Personal Information with Clients?

75

(1)

Ideas for Enriching the Practicum Experience

76

(1)

References

77

(1)

Additional Readings

78

(1)

Client Systems: The Recipients of Service

79

(30)

Overview

79

(1)

Who Are Clients?

79

(1)

What Is It Like to Be a Client?

79

(2)

What Do Clients Expect from Me?

81

(2)

Should I Inform Clients that I Am a Student?

83

(1)

How Do I Know if I Am Helping My Clients?

84

(2)

What Do I Do When a Client Won't Talk?

86

(2)

What Do I Do When the Client Who Won't Talk Is a Child?

88

(1)

Do I Need to Worry About My Personal Safety in the Field Practicum?

88

(1)

How Do I Manage Angry and Hostile Clients?

89

(1)

How Do I Protect Myself

90

(2)

How Do I Deal with Noncompliant Clients?

92

(1)

Why Do I Need to Work with Clients Who Are Different from Me?

93

(1)

How Can I Reduce My Sense of Inadequacy About Working with Diverse Clients?

93

(2)

What Are the Most Important Practice Principles for Working with Clients Who Are Different from Me?

95

(2)

What Do I Need to Know to Work with People with Disabilities?

97

(3)

How Do I Work with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered People?

100

(2)

What Is It Like to Work with Small Groups of Clients?

102

(1)

Will I Be Working with Families?

103

(1)

Are There Special Considerations for Working with Minority Families?

103

(1)

What Is Macro Practice?

104

(2)

Ideas for Enriching the Practicum Experience

106

(1)

References

106

(1)

Additional Readings

107

(1)

WebSites

108

(1)

Acquiring Needed Skills

109

(24)

Overview

109

(1)

Do Most Student Interns Feel Nervous and Inadequate?

109

(1)

What Skills Might I Be Expected to Develop?

110

(1)

How Do I Start Interviewing with a Client?

110

(3)

How Do I Begin to Help the Clients Who Are Assigned to Me?

113

(2)

What Is Process Recording?

115

(2)

I'm Self Conscious About My Ability to Write Well. Will This Be a Problem.?

117

(2)

What Should I Keep in Mind When Making a Home Visit?

119

(2)

Am I Likely to Deal with a Client Who Is Suicidal?

121

(1)

How Can I Prepare to Deal with Suicidal Clients?

122

(3)

Myths and Realities of Suicide

123

(1)

Suggestions for Intervention with Suicidal Clients

124

(1)

What Do I Do if I Suspect My Client Plans to Attempt Suicide?

125

(1)

How Do I Transfer a Case?

126

(1)

How Do I Terminate Services with a Client?

127

(3)

Ideas for Enriching the Practicum Experience

130

(1)

References

130

(2)

Additional Readings

132

(1)

Legal and Ethical Concerns

133

(18)

Overview

133

(1)

What Happens if I Make a Mistake?

133

(1)

What Is Malpractice?

134

(1)

Do I Need Liability Insurance?

135

(1)

Can Confidential Client Material Ever Be Shared?

135

(2)

May I Audio- or Videotape Clients?

137

(1)

What Is an Ethical Dilemma?

138

(1)

Can Ethical Dilemmas Be Avoided?

139

(1)

How Do I Avoid Rushing into Ethical Dilemmas?

140

(2)

How Do I Resolve Ethical Dilemmas?

142

(2)

May I Accept a Gift from a Client?

144

(1)

Is It Ever Permissible to Date Clients or Coworkers?

144

(1)

What Do I Do if I Observe Something Illegal or Unethical?

145

(2)

How Do I Handle Agency Secrets?

147

(1)

How Do I Handle Sexual Harassment?

147

(1)

Ideas for Enriching the Practicum Experience

148

(1)

References

149

(1)

Additional Readings

149

(2)

Pragmatic Concerns

151

(11)

Overview

151

(1)

What Do I Do if I Get Sick or Am Running Late and Miss My Appointments?

151

(1)

Will I Be Asked to Share a Desk or Office?

152

(1)

How Do I Keep Track of Time in the Practicum?

152

(1)

Am I Permitted to Accumulate Overtime or Compensatory Time?

153

(1)

How Do I Learn to Leave My Work at the Agency?

153

(2)

What Do I Do if I Am Given Too Much or Too Little Responsibility?

155

(1)

What Do I Do When I Am Having a ``'Down '' Day?

156

(1)

What Do I Do When Things Are Not Going Well?

156

(2)

How Do I Plan for My Next Practicum?

158

(1)

Am I Cut Out for Social Work?

158

(1)

How Do I Prepare for Social Work Practice in the New Century?

159

(1)

Ideas for Enriching the Practicum Experience

160

(1)

References

160

(1)

Additional Readings

161

(1)

Appendix A Problem-Oriented Recording

162

(5)

Appendix B National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics (1999)